Bristow all set to defend TrialGP Women crown

British lioness Emma Bristow will kick off the defence of her TrialGP Women title this coming weekend when the 2023 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship gets under way with the TrialGP of Spain at Arteixo.

After enduring the infamous rough seas of the Bay of Biscay, the thirty-two-year-old arrived safely at Santander on Wednesday morning feeling remarkably shipshape.
 
While many of her fellow passengers were feeling the after-effects of a stormy overnight crossing from England, all Bristow was concerned about was getting down to a hard practice session on the all-new 300cc fuel-injected Sherco she will campaign this season.
 
Bristow’s incredible work ethic has served her well throughout her career – eight World crowns in nine years is a statistic that does not lie – and her sole focus for the season is to add to her tally of titles.
 
“I can’t believe how quickly the new season has come around,” she said. “A ninth title is the dream. We’ve got a new bike this year which is a completely new challenge but that’s good – I’ve been on the old-framed bike for so many years so it’s nice to have a fresh challenge and everything is going well with it.“
 
“I’ve been very busy. I’ve spent quite a lot of time in Spain over the winter getting the new bike set up. It’s a completely brand-new bike and I’ve really enjoyed the challenge.”
 
For 2023 the TrialGP Women riders face their biggest ever challenge with a total of ten scoring days – an increase of two on last year – to decide the eventual outcome of the coveted crown which is a prospect that Bristow is clearly relishing.
 
“We’ve come a long way. Over the years we’ve got more and more rounds which is great. I remember one year it being only two rounds so it’s really good because it’s more of a championship. I’m looking forward to the long season and it will be fantastic for us girls. It’s a big step forward for us.“
 
“There will be more chances to show what I’m capable of and more venues mean more people watching us ride.”
 
Bristow is also eagerly anticipating making a return to the iconic Mobility Resort Motegi after the pandemic left Japan off the calendar for the last three seasons.
 
“I really like it in Japan. It feels very British – it can be very wet or very dry and you never know what you’re going to get. I love it over there and I’m really looking forward to going back. We always get a really good trial in Japan.”